Flying-machine.



N. B. CONVERSE. FLYING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 6, 1910.

Patented July 22, '1913.

`1o SHEETS-SHEET z.

wlrNEssEs.- :Ns/EMDR l sy im ATTORNEY Nga. GQNVERSE.

, -PLYING MACHINE. APPLICATION PIVLED JUNE 1910. 13968, 1,10' Patented July 22,1913.

10 SHEETSSHEET 3.

k3 v I? .a

WITNESSES v INVNTOR YS hinab/Q By I m ATTORNEY N. B. CONVERSE.

FLYING MACHINE. APPLIUATIQN FILED JUNEvG, 1910.

Patented Juy .2, i913.

1D SHEETS-SHEET 4.

INVEN''R WITNESSES x BY ATIORNEV N. B. CONVERSE.

FLYING MACHINE.

l APPLIOATION FILED TUNE e, 1am.

Pai-,ema July 22, iw;

1 0 SURNAME '5.V

mm 1Q A TTORNE Yv INMENTG.

Z744 .Mw/f

IbLT

ruil

WITNES SES M Ys. am

N. '13.'00NVERSE- FLYING MACHINE.

1 ANLIGATIOE HLM JUNE e, 1910. i n 94368, i l 0. Patented my 22, am.

10 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

N. B. CONVERSE.

`FLYING MAGHREB. Y Y AHLIQATIOHHLEIJ mme, 1910.

Patented July 22, 93.

10 SHEEvTS-SHEET 7.

A TTORNE Y I. B. CONVERSE.

FLYING MACHINE. Amouxox FILED lum: e. 1910.

Paeud July 22 1913.

10 SHEETS-SHEET 8.

VITNESSES 2 N. B. CONVERSE, FLYING MAGHNB. APPLIC XTION FILED JUNE-6, 1910.'

Patented July 22, w13.

10 SHEETS-SHE ifi NEFITON CVEBS Emilie- .io @ZZ whom '5' may concern:

1 the count; ifi'iiie., have iiivenefi new` and useafcitizen ofthe il i y of Fresno and Siate vhieii oiiewing is speciiiczziion..

The ments in ing maeiiiiies, the objects of the iiivenion being to provide a machine 0I" this kind 'which Wiii automatically maiiitain its equilibrium, Wheii exposed to varying air cuz'ients.

'f further object is to provide in such e` machine a novei construction of aeropianes.

which simii De moi'e eiiicieiif *for s gie; weight imei gusiiiiy of muti iai.

Si farther object is to piovi'de an iiiipievcii consiiuctien the meiei'ial from which e aercpienes are crmed.

the accompanying drawings, Figuie is e. perspectivev `View cf the {ij/ing iiinciiizie, fieri ci the iieaei' side being broken army; Fig. 2 is a pien View ef he same; 3 is a rear *view ci the. seme; Fig. 4 :i side View of the same; Fig. 5 is mi eniziiged fie'sil seeiioziei View shewiiig *the improved enlistmetien of the sheet materiel used in said aeropiaies; Jig. 8 is' ,a pian View of the controlling mechanism, part' being shawn in section; F 1g. 7.1542 side new of said controiiing mechanism; Figa@ is a veiicai sec- Ation on iiie ine S-TS of Fig. 6; Fig. 9 is a similar section en the iine 9-9 of Fig'. 6; Fig. l0 is :i diagrammatic View oli/tile si rangement of the machinery used for pfopeiiing imei ccigrciiing the air ship; Fig. il is a diagrammatic View of the eiectricaiconnecicms; l2 is an eniarged vertical section of the circuit conrciier; Fig. 13 is e, perspecive View of the air bags collapsed;

Fig. 14 is a rear View ofthe lower periien of he machfne showing said air bags coiiapsed; iiiustrating respectiveiy the oid construciien of aeropienes, a constriicion intermedia between the (51d and new, and. my new and improved eonsrueien thereof; Fig. 18 is :i perspective View or a portion of an neroplane; Fig. 19 is a dein'f perspective View showing he construction. n? beinei'nf'iinne; Fig. ..0 is n pian View of'ii modified form of sez-opium; Fig. 2l is a from View thereof;

15, 16, and 17 are diagrams ACEINE.

.is ejem? aeroplane cema mais l. l' 2", iw@ r ic mpi-ases i ,ii u' per and iowei' e seid ioni.

1A. iii i the rods l ture @if tiie ms l?, l2

i ie amis ci "giliicure of emi-ing mechanism. ziddilcnaij? siippozed by Vei'icai rods 19,"

19 eonneced ai, iongiiums-l reds iieii upper ens to the 14. 14. H

To form the Wheel frame, the vei'icai mds e, sf, ie"

extendef downward :md

to the icwer ends tieieof is ecnneeied transverse Tod 20.

The rods 19, 19 are also extended ownward to the same ievei as the transverse rod Q0 iransif'eijse rod 2li' verse rods 20, 2,

are conneeied by e emis of said trsm$- ae csnneeefl by ioiigi- 9.2?, 22 support siisfs 23, 2li

besi'ings fea transverse winch me meuzized Wheels? 25. The front ends .of said longitudinal rods 22, 22 are connected by oblique braces 26, 26' to the verticalrods19, 19' and the rear ends are connected by oblique braces 27, 27 to the vertical rods 9, 9', and to the longitudinal rods 2, 2', at points to the rear of the points of juncture of said rods wlth the rods 9,9. The front ends of the lon tudinal rods 22, 22' are also connected to t e front ends of the longitudinal rods 2 2', by oblique braces 29, 29. The rear ends of said rods are connected by oblique braces 30. 30.

'lhe front elevator rudder frame comprises upper oblique rods 31, 31', connected obliquely to the rods 1, 3, and l', 3' respectively and extending forwardly downward, and lower oblique rods 32, 32 connected obliquely to the rods 2 and 3, and 2', 3', respectively and extending forwardly upward, and being connected respectively to the rods 31, 31', at their front ends and also to a transverse rod 34. The rods 31, 31' are connected with the rods 32, 32' by oblique rods 38, 38', 39, 39. All of said rods 38, 38', 39, 39' are extended past their dpoints of juncture with the rods 32, 3l, an carry at the said extended ends upper pulleys 40, 40', and lower pulleys 41, 41'.

The balancing rudder frame comprises, in

" one vertical plane, a transverse rod 42 connecting the points of juncture of the rods 2, 2' with the oblique braces 27, 27', a transverse rod 43 connecting the longitudinal 'rods 22, 22', and a transverse rod 44 connecting the longitudinal rods 1, 1'. Connected to the centers of said. rods 44, 42, 43,

is a vertical rod 45, from which extend real'- wardly the balancing rudders.

rl`he transverse rod 10 is extended laterally a considerable distance on each side of the flying machine, as shown at 46, 46', and the transverse rod 6 is similarly extended, as shown at 47, 47', forming the main aeroplane spars. In addition to these there are five others, 48,48', on each side of the Inachine, forming with these spars 46, 46' the vrear spars of the aero-planes, and five others,

49, 49 on eachside of the machine, forming with the spars 47, '47', the six front spars on each side of the aero-planes. These spars are connected to the frame rod's 14, 1'4, 17, 17', and the rear spars are connected to the l corresponding front spars by sheet material,

lthe nature of which is hereinafter described, and thus form aero-planes on each side of the ship.

An improved feature of the invention resides in the' constructionl and arrangement ot' these aeroplanes. They are arranged in ech'clon, that is, each upper -plane'overlapping or partly-covering;1,r the rear portion of the4 next lower plane. By this arrangement, the aeroplanes can be` placed close together without causint'r the air deflected downward from the under surface of an upper plane to strike ,and bear downward upon the upper surface of the plane immediatel below it. This improvement is illustrated 1n detail-in Fi s. 15, 16, 17. Y.

ig. 15, shows theWright and Chanute form of arrangin the planesin a bi-plane, thel arrows in sai the under sursaid planes. B the terin depth I mean the dimension rom front to rear. For, if as will be seen from Figl 16, the planes are spaced a art one-half of the depth of said planes, t en, as shown by the arrows, the air deflected from the lower surface of an upper plane strikes and bears down upon the upper'surface of the plane immediately below it, thus destroying the lifting power of one plane.

In Fig. 1.7 is sli/own my improved method of placing-the planes, the lower plane onehalf, or thereabout, of its depth ahead of the'upper plane. vWith this arrangement the air imping'ing upon the lower surface of the upper plane is allowed a free exit downward and rearward. lBy Athus arranging the planes I am enabled to obtain a large actual lifting area without havingA gure showing how the vair is deflected after striki'n `face of the plane. With t is construction' it is necessary to space the upper and lower. .planes at a distance equal to the depth of loo vided for passengers. The preferable con struct-ion is that each plane overlaps an adjacent one one-half of its depth and is 'spaced vertically one-half of its depth. For

instance, if the planesvare four feet in depth they would overlap two feet and be spacedl vertically two feet, However, I do not conj line my claims to the specific proportions given, as these proportions may be varied considerably with goed results, as4'for in` stance over-lapping Lone-third and spaced vertically one-third of the depth.v

The trame of such aeroplane consists of ribs 550, 50', `spaced apart about one-quarter of the length of' the planes, and the side spars of the several planes are connected by vertical ties 51, 51', spaced the same distance apart as the planes are deep. In the central part of the machine there is a space having no planes oa length three Vand onehalf times the depth of the plane and Va width three-quarters of the same. In this 12o two laterally extending spars connected byv ice-E;- pefei: agi

eensist oi?. Wu

e. pei-ion' sie-ship; ei'e iii ve io air, which im ting screen smeii eiigie 1. mesiies o @Reime reirhs ei' en inail, he e 'o .GLS in iiiamee', having 809 square feetor" sufeee e@ pounds and it is estimated that ehe amount o? surfeee Wil iii?, e, etai W 'ghi poul-uis s; .speed wiii which Lie ship is expeeefi o trav-ei. es ffii-e "he ai? io gimme oi; move 1d in iae 'path of least 'esistenee, are bowefi downward to Hw this movement is in e direction eeinnmis curvature, the piene en f feee i'eizive movezzie t e .-'mfnvaed emi :v .ze aiimzieges of hi -iie Qoieinefi s greet ,fif'eigii, nemeij 'BLG pmiiids teiiszee pes inch o' section wey; ai, if izmed, or otherwise covered, it mii insti indefinitely; hird, the Cost is one-tenh the price of siik; fourth, there is less resissfmee to *che air, the air1 becoming entangied in Jche meshes, forms e lubricant and offers small resistance, Vet it completely changes the couse of the air to a downwer dire@ 45 ion.' However," do not conne'myeiaiz'ns to wife clot-h having open meshes only? im' in my opinion wire Cloth would be e, greet improvement over the present construction, even if cosey Woven, aithough it is heavier, as i would et ieusthave sirengtwh, dumbiiity :mii eheamess. in order to avoid the ebjeetion of great weiffiit, finer wire eouifi be useii if obtninabie. in making this cloth the warp should be of soft ough Wire anti the Woof of stiff straigii Woven music wire The sei'vzifges ",vouid have a heavy Wire in eaeii side *die cit'h ami on the machine he warp Woud lie paralisi with the iine ight and Ehe straight Woof wires Wouifi 'iietransvese therein, as shown in n'said gure, 5B indicaesthe Woof wiie emi 54 ehe Werp Wire. The arrowv e ini- Cates ie diieetion of ight; `he arrow b indicates 'the d1."ect1on of motion of the ailm eontaet with the piane ni aeua Eig-hg A)..row f' 1 .ies tie Az-ref7.\.,. :iiiA :fiume sinne iin-onge. 'Si'. ai' sii@ EL@ doeii ii @quei te the-ej-iii of fue front emi een h o iii.,

feoviied Wimfefien the spele of im. 1

i8 and .1.5i s e piane and e. piene fl'ame breken :mn-Vi ne ih spess. The iixs- 5G are bowed dowmvefi zom {ie ifoi'o rear. From diese ribs screws of fain'ics 'L 'n (i emi me pie; l

ifie vzoyii'xg im piene area gemis unos iae angie wiii piene kes Wiii i' een@ to die iwf-izo; p The depends mao-:1 iie annue,

ne arse, upon i.

he im moua' e eier faute? is Ue .lingo-fame iis are bei?) in the sume iiliei Figs 3 1B and i4 show means eiighme' en weiter. eG-nsisi'ing ef air-oe, l which mm be rieiate. and ixiaed, having sides 58 which oki in tile mamies of en fotocleon. From each beg a mbe 5S) e ens to e valve 6G meer the operaie? from he va'iveo n eemlsressefi air *funk 6i. 'ihoo it is desie to alight upon amate? tile opere-fior opens 'said mve :m5: ehe emiiplessed air quieiiiy iiis me im@ @Wien o .l required foi use on the' ma'cer. :i tu )e Timniig thoughzi suitabie hand vaise to he iiitake port of an air pump provides means for compleeiy exheustingtie bags. They will then iie close to the frame of the me, chine, performing the functions ofaeroypialnes. Said bags are made of any suitzibie material in any desired Shape to offer iittle resistance in the Wuez' when the ship is aoat and to the air in Hight when the begs :we de'iated. ehe watepthe operator heesthe ship to the Win61, if there is'any, und lowers the eievetor rudder at itsrear edge. This wil a-liow the main leises to buoy up pari of the Weight, i'e ucing the water esistance. He then increases the speed'o' the engine to full spee, and, by the time air passes et the :este of twenty miles an hour, the meehiiie Wiii rise om the water'. A

Z o not cone my iiivention ifo the form of air begs here shown, es, for inslbai'iee e cyiindrica float wouid be a goed 'form ef e i ends oi me To rise from the suifce of consruction and could be designed to eolapse out of the way in High. Such ioes eeuid ne made to seive two or more purposes to e, beer advantage than here shown,

' as, for instance, to serve both as a float and as an aeroplane.

66, 67, indicate two upper'and lower vertical balancing rudders made of thin sheet steel or wire cloth, the front edges of which are secured to a vertical rod 45 hereinafter described. They are operated by means of cables passing over small pulleys to the the whole machine back to a level or horizontal'plane. r Should the machinetiltto the left, then the upper balancing rudder`66 should move' past its normal central plane to the left and the lower one 67 to the right,`

forming a right handed screw', acted upon by the air through which it moves to screw -level position.

to the right, and thus restore'the plane to a The balancing rudders are then brought to a central position, The

cables 68, 68', 69, 69, which loperate thesey rudders have their ends secured to the rudders on opposite sides and the midd-le of the cable passes once or twice around `the con- 7 troller drum 70 'to give it gripping power.

' set in front of the orratorsfseat.

.-Thus, the cable 68 runs from the right hand side of the upper rudder 66 over the pulleys 71 to the upper vcentralpart of the machine to a pulley 72,l and the cable 69runs from the left hand side ot the lowerrudder 67, over pulleys 73, 74, to the same point. The

two are then joined together. in a central vertical plane and then 4a. single cable 75 runs down over a pulley 76 to the controller drum 70.- then over another pulley 76 to pulleys on the vertical frame piece 45 supporting the rudders, dividing intermediate 'of the last. two mentionedpulleys, one going to .the lett hand side of the rudder 66 and the .other Yto the right hand sidev of the rudder 67. Thus as the controller drum rotates, the two rudders are pulled one to the left and the other to the right.

In the rear of the balancing. rudders is thc steering rudder' 8O extending rearwardly from the rudder post S1 which is attached at the front edge rigidly/to the rear frame, and is bowed, in -a similar manner to the balancing'rudders 66, 67, by means of a cable 82, running over pulleys 83, 83. mounted conveniently on the frame of the machine and pulleys 84, 84', at the forward edge of the second from the botten main plane, and thence to the handle of thesteering wheel 85 This hand wheel has a circi. `iferential groove in which the cable isreceived -and'is extended around said wheel once. The ends of said .spectively appertain. which drives the propeller 97, also operates cable 82 are connected to opposite sides of the rudder. 4The steering is done manually,

and the steering rudder may be set at a fixed position, and thus cause the machine to move either in a straight line or in a curve of constant curvatura- Since the balancing rudders offer/equal resistance to the air through which the ship passes, they will not in any position cause the machineto deviate from a straight ahead course. Moreover the action of the propeller, which is set ahead of them, has the effect of blowing the airfback against them with increasing speed, thus inf creasing their balancing efficiency over what lit would be if they were not set in the wake of the propeller. I y

On the front end of the machine is located the elevating -rudder 90, the function of which wis to change the direction of movement of the shaft ina vertical plane. This rudder is secured by its front edge rigidly to the transverse rod 34 and the whole rudder is bowed up or down, as required, by means of cables 92, 92', 93, 93', shown in Figs. 1

' and 2, which, starting at the upper side of the rudder, pass over upper pulleys 40, 40',

41, 41 at thesideof the machine. The-two cables 92, 92', coming fromithe two sides of A.

the machine, are then united to a single cable 94 which passes over a pulley 95,' above the controller, then down to the controller drum around which it passes once or twice, and then upward to a pulley 95. above the controller, thence ahead and downward, and is then connected to the two lcables 93, 93', which pass, one to the right and the other tot the left, under pulleys 41, 41 and are then connected to the under side of the rudder frame. This rudder serves the purpose of steering upward or downward in the line of Hight and is also operated automatically by a control lerhereinafter described, to maintaina predetermined angle oftlight.

At the verticaLcenter of the machine, be-

tween the rear portions of the side frame-of the ship, is a horizontal plane 86 which` serves as a tail plane.

Fig. 10 is a diagram of the motive power, the means. for controlling the same, and the parts connected therewith, details of construction being omitted, because the devices themselves are all old and well known to those skilled in the arts to which theyre-1,3*

The gas engine 96,'

mined degree. From the air tank 61 a pipe 102 leads to a hand valve 103, fron which a pipe 104 leads to a high pressuregage 105 and a pipe 106 to an automatic pressure deh #he and, by feeeoe of. the high speed of' the il@ ai eeied Them is hat @me magmec-gap in the main ex'cui, es me wie 327 @i the magnet is of e n im y 1 J, 39 mail) En me wenn (new. Hui wenn She' e fn um dutcnee end u could be prevented by covering :l hfadene sied seeve 225 rthe me'euzy w n. water mother compaia- TUHH sun 20mn the Exec-kei beging? 'vey high eeisanceand coding liquid, fue which said shaft z'evovese ciwn wguch weuld be o condense the il wie i2? la mere-2. g2g

ry before passes he liquid. cese .an )10W vetage curr-enf Woud be. used. When a ma@ m time s`used, he mei- Quei; if; bulb cendenses and flows back if; the cena tube, The passage 138 ecross beweeza iihewo emae chamers sie? he l2 rif eupnee of a uniform level of `mer- 138 -7 each side, Since herwse one side l 'f 'Z 'mixe mecmjv than the other, mang 'eonae mofa ffequeny, and

doses? e sma space? might 13o .which a wiz-e142 leads back to a contact point 143 in the lower portion of the tube 136. The'loo 144 in the tube is to preventy the mercury om jolting'romside to side and thus making a, false contact. This tube` may be made in various forms, but I .pre-- fer the form shown in the drawing.

Fig. 11 1s a diagrammatic view of the general electrical arrangementkin-which 136 is` the mercury contact tube' for the balancing- 'rudderz-x2 136 is asimilar tube for the elevatingberudder, and 145 is ya lever on which tu 136 is pivotally mounted, so that' it may, be turned uponits pivot in a vertical plane. 146 is a sextant graduatedtoindicate 'the angle to which the lever 145 and the tube 136 are set. To steer up or down, the operator moves the rear end or handle ofy the lever ydown or up res actively. 114 indicates the two clutches or controlling the/ elevator rudder, running in opposite direc#- tions at 1500 or 2000 revolutions a minute, and 114 are they two similar clutches for controlling the balancing rudder. .From one 'sidev of the generatorfllO, which is direct current, a wire/147 leads "to the four clutches.

'From .the clutches 114, 114 two wires 141,

141, lead to opposite sides of the contact tube 136, and from the clutches 114, 114 wires 141l 141 lead to opposite sides of the contact tube I 136. 'From themiddle points of the Contact tubes, wires 142, 142, lead back to the other -side'of th'e genaator through a hand Switch. 2,

In order, to rise', the controller tube is turned down at its -free end, whichis to the rear, thus causing the mercury to contact with one of ythe electrodes, and energizing the corresponding clutch, which causes the cable drum to revolve, drawing the rear edge ofthe elevating rudder down, so that the air, pressing against its under bowed side, raisesf it, and causes the main planes to grip more air, and thus increase their elevating power. L et us suppose that the operator moves the lever to an angle of 8 from the horizontal. Nowwhen the machine reaches an angle of 8, the tube will be level and the circuitbroken, but the rudder will still be bowed sov that the machine will be tilted at a greater anglethan 8. But when it does so to thev extent of 1-l more, then the lcube will make contact at the opposite end and pull the elevating rudder up, and past `the center, and the angle of inclinationfof the elevator to a e horizontal plane will decrease. When it dethen the contact prel and the contact of creases to less than 8 viously made willbreak,

the elevating eld will close, and again in-i crease the angle of elevation of the rudder.v AI the action of the clutches is instantaneous' the lane will be bowed up or downvory sh y after the machine has passed theinclination corresponding to the mercu` Hence the contact will be made alternately on the two ends of the contact tube three or four times', and then the machine will finally settle at the desired angle of 8. Should the wind blow the machine out .of this a le in the line of flight, contact will bema e when a variation of theiio been reached, whereupon the elevator rudder v plane is moved to the original angle. When themachme has reached the desired height,

'the lever is moved back parallel to the body of the machine.- Contact is made and the up r movement of the rudder follows. A being alternately depressed and elevated a few times, the machine will iy in a horizontal plane, and will maintain this' direction in oppositionto vthe aerial influences to the contrary.

It can now also be readily seen that, by the flying machine tippingto one side, conf tact will be made to energize one oithe clutches, this ,cousin the armature ci'y the clutch to revolve, an with it the worm and drum, thereby drawing up one side of the cable and: slacking off the other side. This has the edect of movingv the-rudders into a position in which they form a screw,'tendn mg horizontal position. *Should it go too far and lean the other way, the 'other clutch will operated in the opposite directicmmaking a screw having the opposite eii'ect, and so on, until the ship is brought if; level position. It is to be understood that the contact points of the mercury tube used to close the circuit to energize the clutches for the balancing ruddcrs are set so that they are horizontal when the machine is level, and the column of mercury is justgenough below them to g make contact when fthe machine tips through 1 or 1%" of a circle.v The controlling mechanism for said balancing rudders will thus act almost the instant tipping commences, and as the rudders are quick in action they will not remain long in a screw position.

to screw the flying machine back into a 1,00 be energized. and cause the rudders to be The limit to which the rudders may be l ypulled to one side is determined by stop cables, not shown, spliced to the drum cable' and fastened to the frame work of the flying machine, which will allow a limited motion, and then if the clutch is still attracting the armature, it will be forced to slip over the same. .The elevating rudder motion is also limited in the same manner. Its operation depends upon the contact tube closing the circuit energizing that one ci theclutches which 'ill/operate the rudder in a direction which `will cause the flying machine to assume a position .that will bring the mercury g einem woud za *he 'reetum (f5 re ed, imei 1s, to L;

finie Y, mau'iue in the eru'h UT in .35 "Vivace if? he waaier, e zmk mk mg ely sui "em fiom :he au* bags. I

se uepress the machine.

zus-1s done by makmg me paues in rectangua 'sectns ll, mounted upon wires 152 streened between uprght aryl cross spars. The sections are made of hn meta m have seeves 153 soldered 1ereo, which seevee sum'mmd the supporting wres 252 at @adn end of the sections and at their re, anr maie contaat and angmf'ther relative area,

Wm aiere eges. They' ssii-3e en seid Wires in pia-nes one above @ne mathe? ami do nos Qme uncover one anehe' i ndefll .f 'he uppermos piane im m'i' die le uwe f1 length e miem;-v L, wily conuece. The wo uper secfl ne 0j the up arexcabed 'tege' e, x inner :ge by eag; o' imi u e if; frbe exendef uj; conltmcied. The inner edges of h@ im', ovfex pian sectons of fm Lower sets are provfef 'wi-Qn cabes L57 washing tir rd the neme? the machine then running .,x peleys and back te the omer eges of the main planes, Where they are secured.

above ril/"zfzxed pueys i555 are linked' @gem y messing @wund the eentmer dimm. The @Dieci of. this au:n r: nent is red we te 'muml o motion sil e 0f U se 0f h Section 151@ and iihe right. Lauri' seeve @he Secta ll is in- ,if side of he. ef* hand sleeve of he section LSF. 'L' seeiem 151d is xedly mounted v ndepememy of the @here (m the Wife l5-251. if. may be mi, fue we ack. t becomes taut when xe cabe um xmved o the iamxmg posmuu of the meme, 125

and it xereay causes the s revolving.

The nimes may be maie either a'one, as specified, vr meshes Guen. csed by oing, painting, ugi?v clutch to sp., if

Vjiartjivire 'andpart silk, or cotton, or other "fabric, or of wire 'close Woven. The ribs may be made of steel plate, curved edgewise to givelthe plane its shape, set with the edges up and down, and laced'to the wire .cloth to prevent bowing 'sidewise along their length, the lacing being made with '.wire, or with threaded wire 'clevises The nonfstretcliing fabric would of course cause'v the ribs to take the strains directly edgewisehnot allowing them to bow to either sidett would be lighter than wood, more resilient and stronger, and, when made in large quantities, cheaper.

I claim :mi y

l. In an air ship, a propeller, an engine for operating said propeller, an air pump operated by said engine, a compressed air -tank, a connection between said air pump' and compressed air tank, an automatic relief valve in said connection, a pipe leading from said air tank, an automatic pressure regulator adapted to reduce the pressure in said pipe, controlling' mechanism for the air ship, and 'a pipe leading from said 'pressure regulator to said controlling mechanism, as substantially described.

2. In an air ship, a propeller, an engine v for operating said propeller, anA air pump operated by said engine, a-compiessed air tank, a connection between said air pump and compressedNair tank, a pipe leading from said air tank, an automatic pressure regulator adapted to reduce the pressure in saidpipe, va compressed air motor, a pipe leading thereto from sai-d pressure regu lator, and controlling mechanism operated by said compressed air engine, substantially as described.

3. In an airl ship liavin adjustable planes, ineaiis for adjusting sait planes comprising a motor, an electric generator driven by said motor, two parallel operating shafts, two clutches loose on each shaft, said clutches being driven-by the motor, each clutch comprising a rotating electro-magnet energized by the generator, and an armature slidably keyed to the shaft, 'and adapted to be attracted by said magnet, substantially as described.

4. In an air ship having adjustable planes, means for adjusting said planes comprising a motor, an electric generator driven by said motor. an operating shaft', two clutchesloose on said shaft, said clutchesv beingdriven by the motor', each clutclimcomprisinga rotating electro-magnet energized ybythe generator, and an armatureslidably ,keyed to the shaft, andadapted to be attracted by said magnet, substantially as described.

5. In an air ship having adjustable planes, a motor, an electric generator driven by said 4 motor, two parallel operatingworm shafts, a

worm gear meshing with each worm, a drum rotated by said gear, a cable on said drum for o erating the planes o'f the air ship,two

clutc es lbose on each shaft, said clutches being driven by the motor, each clutch comprising a rotating electro-magnet` ener ized oy the generator, and an armature sli ably keyed to the shaft, and adapted to be attracted by said' magnet, substantially as-described. y

a motor, any electric generator driven by said 6. In an air ship having adjustable pla-nes@ motor, twoparallel operating worm shaftsg:

a worm gear `.meshing with each worm, Aa drum rotated by said gear, a cable on said drum `for operating the `planes of lthe air ship, two clutches loose on each shaft', said clutches being driven by the motor, each clutch coni rising a rotating electro-magnet energized y the' enerator, and an armature slidably keye to the'sha'ft, and ldapt driven by the motor, each clutch comprising a rotating electro-magnet energizedby the generator, and .an armature slid'ably keyed to the shaft, andadapted tb be attracted by saidmagnet, substantially as described. Y

8. In an air ship having adjustable planes, a'motor, van electric generator driven by said motor, a worm shaft, a worm gear meshing with said worin,'a drum rotated by said gear, a cable on said drum for operating a ioov plane of the air ship, two clutches loose on l said shaft, Asaid clutches being driven by the motor, each clutch comprising a rotating electro-magnet energized by the generator, and an armature slidably keyed to the shaft, and adapted to be attracted by said magnet and means for preventing contactv .between the armature and magnet, substantially as described.

9.'In an air ship, the combination of a controlling plane, a cable'operatively 'connected with said plane, a drum around which said cable'is wound, a shaft forsaid drum, armatures rotatable with said shaft but slidable thereon, constantly' rotating electro-magnets for said armatures, circuits for .energizing said magnets,

controlling said circuits, comprising a tube,

a f. idu ring liquid, contacts in .said tube,v

and means for' one of said-'contacts being always 'in contact with thervliquid and connected to onev side of both circuits and the'other contacts being caused to contact therewitheach exclusively of the other, by a movement of liquid in the' tube, and beingv connected to the other side of said circuits, substantially as described. y

` i0. in an air ship, the combination of a controlling plane, la cable operatively connected with said plane, a drum around winch said cable isvwound, a shaft for said drum, armatures rotatable with said shaft but slidable. thereon, constantly lrotating' electro-magnets .for said armatures, circuits for energizing said magnets' and means for controllin-d said circuits, comprising a tube having a oop, a .conducting liquid and contacts in said tube, one of said contacts being always in contactwith the liquid and connected to one side of both circuits, and the t other contacts being caused to contact there- .iwitli each exclusively of the other, by a movement of the liquid in the tube, and being' connected to' the other side of said circuits, substantiall. as descrlbed.

11.111 an air s ip, the combination of a controlling plane, a cable operatively connected with said plane, a drum around which said cable is wound, a shaft fonsaid drum, armatures rotatable with said shaft but slidable thereon, constantly rotating .'*iectro-magnets for said' armatures, circuitsw for energizing said magnets, and means for controlling said circuits, comprising a tube haring a loop, a conduit connecting the upper ends of the said tube, a conducting liquid and contacts in said tube, one of said contacts being always in contact with thel l liquid, and connected to one side of both circuits, and the other-contacts being caused to contact therewith each exclusively of the other, by a movement of the liquid in the tube, and being connected to the other side of said circuits, substantially as described.

lZ. in an air ship, an elevator rudder, a drum and operative connections from said drum to said rudder to control the same, a shaft for rotatingv said drum, armatures i witnesses.

l ALICE KELLY,

slidable on said shaft and rotatable therewith, electro-magmets constantlyrotated in opposite directions relatively to said shaft, electric circuits i nets to attract the respective armatures, and means for controlling said circuits. comprising a lever, a substantially U-shaped tube on said'lever, mercury therein. an electric Contact at the bottom of said tube connected to both electric circuits, and electric contactsA in tbe upper portions of the tube, normally above the level of tbemercury, connected to the respective circuits, substantially as described. v

13. Tn an air ship, the combination of a propeller, an engine for operating the same, an air pump driven by said engine, a compressed air tank for containing the air compressed by said pump, an engine driven by the compressed air, a constantly rotating electro-magnetic clutch driven by said engine, an electric generator driven thereby, the coil of the clutch receiving its current from said generator, a shaft for controlling the air ship, and an armature for said clutch rotating with said shaft and slidable thereon, substantially as described.

14. In an air ship, means for controlling saidship, an electro-magnet for regulating Asaid controlling means, an electric circuit -for energizing'said magnet, and a circuit controller in said circuit, comprising a tube iaving a loop, and mercury in said tube adapted by a change of level of the tube to` affect the current in said circuit.

Tn testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand 1n the presence of two subsorlbing NE lVTON4 B. CONVERSE. Witnesses:

CoRY. 

